Colchester

Colchester's population expanded between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in marriage, religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 170,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Colchester increased by 11%, from just under 156,000 to 173,000.

The addition of about 17,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Colchester was home to, on average, 3.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Colchester

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Colchester increased by two years, from 36 to 38 years.

This growing rural area had a lower average age than Eastof England and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 5,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 1,000.

About 11% of people in Colchester are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Colchester by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Colchester

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Colchester at a faster rate than across Eastof England.

In Colchester, the proportion of single people increased from 30% in 2001 to 35% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 27% to 31%.

Across Eastof England, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of married people in Colchester fell from 52% to 47%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 11% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Colchester

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 34% said they had no religion. An increase from 20% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Colchester.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Eastof England (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Colchester that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 110,000 in 2001 to about 100,000 in 2011 (from 72% to 58%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 12,000 to about 13,000. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 7.8% to 7.3%.

About 2,800 people (0.8%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 1,200 in 2001 (1.6%).

The population without a religion in Colchester increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Colchester by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Colchester

The percentage of Colchester residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.6% to 3.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.8% in 2001. The percentage of Colchester residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

In Colchester, the proportion of private renting increased from 11% in 2001 to 19% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 8.6% to 15%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in Colchester fell from 15% to 14%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 72% to 66%.

Private renting in Colchester increased by 8.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Colchester, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Colchester

In 2011, 92% of the local population said they were from the White ethnic groups. An increase from 96% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Colchester.

The percentage decreased at a similar rate to the average across Eastof England (from 95% to 90%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Colchester from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 2,600 in 2001 to about 6,400 in 2011 (from 1.7% to 3.7%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 1,800 to about 3,200 (from 1.2% to 1.8%).

Just under 2,600 people (0.5%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 790 in 2001 (1.5%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Colchester decreased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Colchester by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Colchester residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.2% to 4.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71% in 2001. The percentage of Colchester residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Colchester decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Colchester, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

The percentage of Colchester residents that were studying increased from 2.9% to 4.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (54%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55% in 2001. The percentage of Colchester residents that were unemployed increased from 2.3% to 3.5%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.3% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Colchester increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Colchester, Eastof England and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Colchester working less than 16 hours increased from 2.0% to 3.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 15% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Colchester increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Colchester, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Colchester, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.3% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households had only one person, compared with 28% in 2001. The percentage of households in Colchester which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39% to 35%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.8% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Colchester residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.7% to 2.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Colchester remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Colchester by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Colchester with only adult children living with their parents increased from 9.0% to 8.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 29%, while the percentage of households in Colchester without children remained close to 62%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 9.3% in 2001 to 9.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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